Women may be more likely to get UTIs because their urethra is shorter than a man’s and is closer to their anus (back passage).

Preventing UTIs

If you get UTIs frequently, there are some things you can try that may stop it coming back. However, it’s not clear how effective most of these measures are.

These measures include:

avoiding perfumed bubble bath, soap or talcum powder around your genitals – use plain, unperfumed varieties, and have a shower rather than a bath

going to the toilet as soon as you need to pee and always emptying your bladder fully

staying well hydrated

wiping your bottom from front to back when you go to the toilet

emptying your bladder as soon as possible after having sex

not using a contraceptive diaphragm or condoms with spermicidal lubricant on them – you may wish to use another method of contraception instead

wearing underwear made from cotton, rather than synthetic material such as nylon, and avoiding tight jeans and trousers

Speak to your GP if these measures don’t work. They may suggest taking a long-term course of antibiotics or they may give you a prescription for antibiotics you can use as soon as you experience symptoms of a UTI.

There’s currently little evidence to suggest that drinking cranberry juice or using probiotics significantly reduces your chances of getting UTIs.

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